Furniture construction



Feb. 27, 1934. c LAUN 1.948,724

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 6, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [ar/ H LamPatented F b. 27, 1934 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE FURNITURE CONSTRUCTIONCarl II. Laun, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Kiel Furniture 00.,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin This invention relates tofurniture construction and refers more particularly to improvements intables and kindred furniture.

Tables and similar lurniture are generally shipped in knocked-down ordisassembled condition with the legs and braces detached from each otherand from the top., Consequently, it is incumbent upon the dealer orretailer who re" ceives the goods, to assemble them. But heretofore theassembly of tables and similar furniture required considerable skill andoften necessitated the services of a cabinet maker, especially where theleg braces were of unusual or fancy design.

It is therefore an object of this invention to simplify and improve themeans for assembling the various elements of a table so as to permitaccurate and quick assembly by even unskilled persons.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means for securelyholding the various elements of a table construction assembled, whichmeans is entirely enclosed and consequently concealed.

'; from view.

Another object of this invention is to provide a table of suchconstruction that it may be easily and quickly set up without the use oftools.

A further object of this invention is to provide ;a table constructionof the character described which, when set up is rigid and substantial.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,T combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may i be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, one complete example of the physicalembodiment of this invention is illustrated constructed according to thebest mode so far devised for the practical T application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table constructed in accordance withthis invention and ,set up ready for use;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the table top together with the legsand cross brace shown disassembled and ready to be packed for shipment;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view with parts broken away and insection illustrating the manner of assembling the leg units with thecross brace;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view with parts broken away and insection illustrating one of the sockets forming part of the attachingmeans; and

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the upper end of one leg and anadjacent portion of the table top shown separated and illustrating themanner of assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thenumeral 5 indicates generally a table of any desired design andcomprising a top 6, legs '7, and a cross piece or leg brace 8. Inconformance with the requirement for conservation of space duringshipment, the legs 7 and the cross brace 8 are readily detachable fromthe top 6, and when disassembled, all of the parts may be packed withina flat space asillustrated in Figure 2.

The legs are readily detachably assembled with the top by screw andsocket connections consisting of a socket 9 embedded in the rail 10 ofthe table top at each corner, or point at which a leg is to be secured,and a screw 11 projecting axially from the upper end of each leg. Theattachment of the legs of the table top thus requires merely thethreading of the screws 11 into the sockets 9.

The legs 7 each consist of an upper section 12 and a lower section 13adapted to be detachably connected by screw and socket connectionssimilar to those securing the legs to the table top. Each upper legsection 12 has a socket 9 embedded axially in its lower end and eachlower leg section 13 has a screw 14 projecting axially from its upperend. The screws 14 are adapted for threaded engagement with the sockets9' and are of sufficient length to pass through vertical bores 15 in theattaching portions or extremities 16 of the transverse brace.

The transverse brace in the present instance is of substantially Hshape, and its extremities or attaching portions 16 have parallel flatupper and lower surfaces for engagement with the adjacent lower andupper ends of the leg sections 12 and 13, respectively, so that whenassembled, the attaching portions of the brace are securely clampedbetween the leg sections and appear as part of the legs.

The sockets 9 and 9 are identical in construction and as bestillustrated in Figure 4, the outer surface of each is knurled orsuitably roughened as at 1'7 to provide a grip with the walls of thebores or recesses into which they are driven. If 110 desired, theknurled surface may be coated with glue, shellac or other suitableadhesive substance prior to the insertion of the sockets in theirrespective bores or recesses.

The screws 11 and 14 are secured in the upper and lower leg sectionsrespectively, in any desired manner.

Proper engagement of the screws with the threads of the sockets isfacilitated by counter boring the outer ends of their internallythreaded bores 18, as at 19.

Positive prevention against pulling the sockets out of their recesses byforced threading of the screws into the sockets during assembly of theparts is afforded by washers 20 which are recessed in the upper ends ofthe legs and the upper surfaces of the attaching portions or extremities16 of the transverse leg brace to engage the exposed ends of the socketsand, by reason of their greater area, prevent the sockets from beingdrawn down into the wood of the legs or transverse brace extremities.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art towhich an invention of this character appertains, that this inventionafiords simple and effective means for assembling a table or similarpiece of furniture; that the entire connection is concealed from View;that no tools are required for assembling the various elements; that astrong construction is provided; and that inasmuch as the sockets andscrews are axial to the legs, a requirement for certain positions ofcircumferential adjustment of the legs is easily ac commodated.

' tion in which the assembly of the elements is facilitated, but inwhich the ready disassembly is not particularly contemplated, comeswithin the scope of this invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In demountable furniture construction, a top or body member to besupported above the floor, a supporting leg for said member, means forreadily attachably connecting the supporting member with said membercomprising an internally threaded metal socket embedded in said memberwith its outer end portion exposed, a screw projected axially from theleg for threaded engagement with the socket, and a metal Washer on thescrew between the leg and the socket, said washer engaging the exposedend of the socket to prevent the drawing of the socket into the legduring forced threading of the screw into the socket.

2. In a demountable table, a flat top to be supported above the floor, aplurality of detachable legs to support the top, each of said legshaving an upper and a lower section, a brace to connect the legs, andsimilar means to attach the upper leg sections to the top and to jointhe leg sections through the base whereby the leg sections aresimultaneously assembled with each other and with the brace comprisingexternally roughened sockets having internally threaded bores andcounterbores leading thereto, said sockets being embedded in the top atthe places of attachment for the legs and in the meeting end portions ofone set of leg sections, screws projected from the upper ends of theupper leg sections for connection with the sockets in the top and screwsprojected from the leg sections having no sockets-for engagement withthe sockets of the other leg sections, said second mentioned screwspassing through apertures in the brace, and washers on the screwsbetween the sockets and the adjacent surfaces of the upper leg sectionand brace to prevent the sockets being drawn into said surfaces uponforced threading of the screws in to the sockets.

CARL H. LAUN.

